The high cost of healthcare

[Horse with no Name]

I just got my hospital bill. Five days in the hospital.
$19,418.

Right off the top, they cut $4631.03 for a "managed care adjustment".

The bulk of the bill was in pharmaceuticals. Didn't get a complete breakdown, but I am supposing if a Tylenol costs $10...it makes sense that they billed my insurance company $8737.12...just for 5 days of medicine.:wow:

[Donnachaidh]

1. years ago I worked for a medical parts company

I was required to deflash and clean small tips that are used in cataract surgery. I was *required* to complete 1800 an HOUR. I don't know how much the medical supply company paid for these parts. However, five years after I left that company, a friend had cataract surgery, and she showed me that she had been charged 75 DOLLARS for *1* tip - the very same silicone part I had been required to pump out thousands per hour.

Seventy Five Dollars for what amounted to nothing more than 3 cents worth of silicon. :grr:

[elizfeelinggreat]

2. gotta love that

for-profit healthcare. :patriot:

It always amazes me how much the insurance company gets shaved off their bills while anyone without insurance is basically robbed.

[penguin7]

3. Can someone with health problems get health insurance

after they have lost their job and their Cobra runs out?

Just wondering.

[Horse with no Name]

4. No. n/t

[elehhhhna]

7. usually each state has an ins. pool of last resort, but it's expensive

[hunter]

10. It's no fun when that happens.

Our family has traveled down that road.

Everything you believe about handling money "responsibly" flys right out the window. You do everything right, you care about your credit rating and all that stuff, and then society tosses you into the same pit as all those people it has labeled "irresponsible."

Hah, hah! Guess what? It IS reasonable to walk into the ER knowing full bloody well you can't pay for it... what do they want people to do, crawl away and die somewhere? (Why yes, I think they do.)

[reggie the dog]

5. Wow, my wife stayed in the hospital with our baby

for five days conting the day she gave birth.

We paid a whopping ZERO Euro.



But we have that socialized health care so many americans hate.

[magellan]

9. Please export some of your reason and wisdom to us

Or just buy our government. It's for sale, you know. Highest bidder. Send an EU team of lobbyists.

We're paying $4400.00/year for catastrophic (bare minimum) coverage, and it comes with a $10K deductible. And we're lucky; this is CHEAP compared to what some US families pay.

Please. I'm on my knees begging you.

[reggie the dog]

14. my boss

pays money for health care insurance in my name, and my taxes subsidize the system, but my wife and I pay 34 euro per month out of our pockets for full 100% health insurance. Our bosses pay around 3000 euro, or 4500 dollars, per year. We pay 400 euro a year. If you have no job you pay the 34 a month or thereabouts and still have full coverage.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. Wow. Street drugs don't even cost that much!

I hope you're doing all better! Or, as well as can be expected after seeing that bill. :wow:

[Blue Diadem]

8. *GASP*

:wow:

I hope you have good insurance. Pharmaceuticals through hospitals are outrageously priced..especially something as ordinary as Tylenol that must cost them all of .30 a pill that they will gladly pass on for $8-$10 each.

We have a 70/30 plan :cry: and are currently awaiting DH's medical bills for his recent hospital stay.

[Horse with no Name]

11. We're about to find out how good it is

:rofl:
I didn't go to the "preferred" hospital because frankly, I probably would have died if I had.
I chose to stay "in network"...but it will cost me to have done that.
The ONLY thing that MIGHT save me...is that I went 3 hours away, voluntarily, but my admission was classified as "emergency" because of the diagnosis.
We will find out before too long on that.:scared:

[Blue Diadem]

12. Oh gosh, I hope they cover it completely for you.

Hopefully with your admission as an emergency they'll play nice and pay up.

DH had to attend an insurance meeting yesterday at work. The insurance agent that handles the company program told the employees they all use too much insurance, more than the premiums they pay. Thus..employee premiums increased 60% and deductible went to $4,000.

[Horse with no Name]

13. Oh my

That is a huge leap. I cannot wait until we have single payer.:(
I had to file on my short term disability...I still am not able to return to work and pretty unsure when, and even to the point if ever with the way things are going, at which point I suppose my Long Term Disability would kick in.
I'm starting to get some flack from my job. I know they don't like us to use these benefits. I'm just really unsure of what they can do to my position if I have to stay out.